Review: Bobbi Brown Extra Eye Repair Cream

I mentioned in my monthly wish list for July that I planned on purchasing this Bobbi Brown Extra Eye Repair Cream ($70) to help with the incredibly dry skin around my eyes. Immediately after I wrote that post I placed an order for the eye cream through Barneys New York. It arrived a few days later in the mail and I immediately put it to use.

I had used the Bobbi Brown Extra Eye Repair Cream in the past but refrained from buying it due to the high price tag. However, since I hadn't found anything better since then and my skin was getting worse, I figured it was time to go back to what's tried and true.

Review: L'Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara

Between job hunting, finals and graduation, I haven't had the time to try out many new products. But today I come to you with a (fairly) new product in hand, the L'Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara ($7.97+). It's advertised in magazines, has its own TV commercial and is talked about all over YouTube so naturally I had to try it.

Review: Kiko Pencil Lip Gloss #16

One of the great things about studying abroad in London for a semester is that you get to travel around Europe. Being the beauty junkie that I am, I scoured each city I visited for makeup. Whilst traveling around Italy I found the brand Kiko Make Up Milano and after spending some time in the store and getting a brand recommendation from my beautiful friend Nikki over at Momodoki, I decided to pick up some products. One of the products I purchased was this Kiko Lip Gloss Pencil in #16 Deep Pink €3,90.

What intrigued me about this product was the fact that it is marketed as a lip gloss in pencil form. I'd never seen that before so I really wanted to try it out and see how it works. Personally, I don't think you can consider a product a lip gloss if it's not in liquid form so this product still baffles me a bit but if you can look beyond it's solid form it's not that bad.

I am not the biggest fan of the packaging as it comes in a boring black tube that vaguely reminds me of a MAC product. However, it was relatively inexpensive at €3,90 so I can't really complain. The biggest downfall of the pencil lip gloss' packaging is the fact that it needs to be sharpened. With all the twist-up lip products these days you'd assume it'd be twistable.

The shade I picked out, #16 Deep Pink, is a rosy pink packed with glitter. When applied to my lips the color goes on very sheer but you can definitely see the glitter. The pencil lip gloss feels slightly sticky on my lips as a regular lip gloss would but I don't have any problems with my hair sticking to my lips.

The color lasts for around 2-3 hours without eating or drinking before I need to touch it up. However, while the color does not transfer I have noticed that the glitter can get pretty much everywhere. Occasionally the glitter will travel to other parts of my face but it's hardly noticeable. Unfortunately, if you're wearing a scarf or anything that could potentially touch your lips it's highly likely that the glitter will end up there.

I have to admit that I'm very torn about this product. While the color is pretty and the concept is cool, the fact that the glitter travels everywhere is incredibly annoying. If I could, I'd probably go back and purchase a shade without any glitter, but since Kiko is European only I'll have to wait a while before I can try a different shade out.

♥
Bloglovin' | YouTube | Twitter | Instagram

Review: Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupté Shine (Fuchsia in Excess)

Can somebody please tell me why Yves Saint Laurent can do no wrong? From their Touche Éclat to their Glossy Stains almost all of the products they've debuted in the past few years have become cult favorites. One of these cult products is their Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupté Shine ($35). From the beautiful packaging to the perfect quality everything about this lipstick screams amazing. It took a long time for me to finally cave in and purchase one but I'm so glad that I did.

If I could I'd buy every shade of this lipstick but since I'm a 21 year old girl on a college student budget I had to decide on just one. I ended up opting for the Sephora exclusive shade Fuchsia in Excess. Described as a bright luminous pink on the website this shade is definitely bright and bold. As a huge fan of statement lip colors, I immediately fell in love with this shade and have been incorporating it into almost all of my makeup looks these days. A neutral eye with the Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupté Shine as a pop of color has been my go-to lately.

The product itself performs exceptionally well. Highly pigmented and easy to apply, the color lasts for up to 3 hours before I need to reapply. While that is rather weak in terms of staying power, the product makes up for the lack of longevity by being very hydrating. I don't feel the need to apply lip balm like I do with MAC lipsticks and I prefer to have hydrated lips than a long-lasting lipstick.

As if the Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupté Shine doesn't already sound amazing, the packaging is gorgeous. You can see from my photos that it comes in a decadent gold tube with an intricate YSL design around the center. The lipstick feels slightly heavier than most other tubes but it gives the product a more luxurious feel. It is by far my most beautiful lipstick on display in my makeup collection.

If you can't tell by now I am absolutely smitten with the Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupté Shine and I definitely intend on purchasing more shades. It's even beat out my Chanel Rouge Allure! I'd definitely recommend this product to anyone and everyone who is in the market for a high-end lipstick. I'm also looking in to picking up one or two of the Glossy Stains since I had such an amazing experience with the Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupté Shine. If you have any shades to recommend please do so!
♥
Bloglovin' | YouTube | Twitter | Instagram

Review: Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Goldmine

I've been trying to replicate and master the gold and black double liner eye look for years now but I can never seem to find the correct shade or formula of gold liner. It's especially difficult for me to find a gold shade that works well with my skin given my yellow undertones. I've searched high and low for the best possible gold liner and so far the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Goldmine ($20) has been my best bet.

Source: Glamour.com

The Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Goldmine is a yellow-gold creamy pencil liner with gold micro-sparkles in it. Think Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Zero but gold. The liner glides onto the lids easily and does not smudge. However, it fades quickly to the point where in a few hours it begins to blend in with my skin and you can hardly tell I had it on in the first place. I tried setting it with gold eyeshadow but it only extended the longevity of the liner by an hour or two.

While this is the best gold liner I've found to achieve this look it's still not ideal. I'm currently using this liner in my inner corners and bottom lid in an attempt to use it up, but if I can find the receipt I'll definitely be returning it (if I still can). If you have any suggestions about what gold liner I should try feel free to leave it in a comment below, ideally I'd be looking for a liquid liner but if there are any other formulas that you've found works for you I'm open to ideas.
♥
Bloglovin' | YouTube | Twitter | Instagram

Review: Lush Breath of Fresh Air Toner

It's been quite some time since I've written a review on a Lush product and even longer since I've made a Lush purchase. Although I'm itching to buy some new products to test, my local Lush store in Soho has shut down, making the nearest one to me their Union Square location. In reality, Union Square is roughly 15-20 minutes away by train but I'm hardly ever in that area so I haven't had the chance to make a trip there yet.
This Lush Breath of Fresh Air Toner ($9.95) was recommended to me by one of the sales associates. At the time of purchase I had combination-oily skin and had already tried the Lush Tea Tree Water Toner ($9.95) and didn't like it. Lush Breath of Fresh Air Toner is catered toward all skin types with fresh seawater to cleanse, seaweed extract to soften and rose absolute and aloe vera to soothe.
I apply the toner directly to my face using the built-in spray immediately after cleansing. The scent is very pleasant in my opinion, smelling vaguely of a sea breeze. I typically let the product soak into my skin and then continue on with the rest of my skin care routine.
When my skin type was combination-oily I noticed that the toner did very little for me in terms of oil-control but it left the more normal areas of my face feeling soft and supple. However, since I've come back from London my skin has become combination-dry (probably due to the harsh weather in NYC) and I find that the toner causes my face to feel tight.
I'd have to admit that I am not a huge fan of this product and would not actively recommend this toner to anyone. I feel that it doesn't do enough to justify the price tag and the Lush Tea Tree Water Toner is much more effective, so if you must try a Lush toner I'd say go for the Tea Tree Water. At this moment I am only using this toner on my T-zone and I've almost used the product up so look out for it in my next empties video!
♥
Bloglovin' | YouTube | Twitter | Instagram

Review: MAC Blacktrack Fluidline

I don't typically reach for gel eyeliner but I've recently been getting back into the softer yet still precise look that it gives. I previously owned the Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner ($24) but after having it for around 3 years the product finally dried up. Instead of repurchasing the Bobbi Brown liner I decided to try the ever-popular MAC Blacktrack Fluidline ($16).

Review: Anastasia Beauty Express For Brows & Eyes

I recall one of my close girlfriends saying once: "You should never trust a woman with bad eyebrows." Though I can't remember the context in which she said this, I have to agree with her to a certain extent. We all know those women who have caterpillars brows and then their polar opposites, the women who have hardly any brows. Neither look is very attractive in my opinion, which is why I like to invest a lot of time in maintaining my brows.

I always had my eye on this Anastasia Beauty Express for Brows and Eyes ($39.50) in Brunette because it looked like a really great deal. Inside the kit is a wax, brow powder duo, eyeshadow duo, 5 stencils and a brush. I currently use the Anastasia Brow Powder Duo ($23) so I figured paying an extra $16.50 for wax, shadow, stencils and a brush was worth it.

However, I wasn't as blown away by this product as I thought I would be. While the Brow Powder Duo is amazing, the rest of the products in this kit don't justify the extra $16.50. The wax is ineffective, no matter how much I use it doesn't keep my brow hairs in place. The eyeshadow duo is very beautiful but I have so many highlighter shades in my makeup collection already that I didn't really see a point in having it. The stencils were by far the most disappointing because none of them fit my brow shape. As for the brush, it looked like a brush that would come in a drugstore brow kit.

Overall, I wasn't in love with the Beauty Express enough to pay $39.50 for it. I ended up returning it to Sephora a few days ago and purchasing another Brow Powder Duo to replace my old one. I feel like the Brow Powder Duo is good enough on its own. Even though the other products included make it a fairly good deal, I couldn't see myself using the products enough to keep the entire kit. ♥
Bloglovin' | YouTube | Twitter | Instagram

Review: Buxom Full Bodied Lipstick in Scoundrel

I have to be honest, I've never been interested in trying any Buxom products. In my mind the brand was well-known for their plumping lip glosses and I'm not a fan of lip plumping products. What eventually changed my mind and convinced me to purchase this Buxom Full Bodied Lipstick ($21) in  Scoundrel was one of my girlfriends. She was wearing the lipstick in a different shade while we were shopping in Sephora and of course the makeup junkie in me had to buy one for myself. It also didn't help that we were in a Sephora and I can never walk out of that store without purchasing something. I ended up picking up the shade Scoundrel because a girl can never have too many red lipsticks, right?

The lipstick comes in an hourglass shaped mirrored tube that functions like a normal lipstick. I'm not the biggest fan of the packaging since it gets dirty very easily. Although the mirror exterior helps if you are trying to apply lipstick without a proper mirror on hand, it picks up fingerprints almost as easily as NARS' signature rubber black packaging.

Scoundrel is a blue red shade, which is flattering on all skin tones. The color stays vibrant for 4-6 hours and I can go through lunch without needing to touch-up. There is no feathering from the lipstick even without the use of a lip liner. But be wary of smudging some on your teeth and transferring the color onto other objects (i.e. cups, food, your boyfriend, etc.), since I've done both in my experience. 

I would purchase another Buxom Full Bodied Lipstick but I have to say that the shade range is rather limited. While there are pinks, reds and plums, each shade only has a few variations. However, the staying power and intense opacity definitely makes up for the lack of color selection. On top of that, the product is not drying so you don't need to worry about chapped lips and needing lip balm.
If I were to buy other shades of the Buxom Full Bodied Lipstick I'd most likely purchase Exhibitionist and/or Hooligan. Both shades were beautiful when I swatched them and I almost picked Exhibitionist over Scoundrel. ♥
Bloglovin' | YouTube | Twitter | Instagram

Review: Clean & Clear Deep Cleansing Lotion

I'm certain I've said this a million times already on both my blog and my channel but I'll say it again, my skin is seriously freaking out. I have bumps along my forehead and have been breaking out in my T-zone. I'm not sure what caused my skin to go haywire but I've slowly been trying to fix it and get it back to being smooth and blemish-free.
I started off by using Lush's Ultrabland Facial Cleanser to reset my skin and now here I am with a brand new skincare routine that will hopefully solve all my problems. This Clean & Clear Deep Cleansing Lotion (£2.99) was the first new product I incorporated into my routine. I had done some research and found that I should incorporate Salicylic Acid into my routine. One of the first active ingredients listed on the back of this bottle was Salicylic Acid so I thought why not give it a try?
I like to use this product after I've removed my makeup and washed my face. I pour a little bit onto a cotton pad and gently wipe it across my face and neck. It works to remove any remaining traces of makeup and I can feel my pores tightening. However, I can't seem to get over the strong chemical smell of the product. I know that most toners do have an intense alcohol scent but this one was just overwhelming.
I've almost used up the entire bottle by now in a little under a month and I can say with certainty that while I didn't notice any more bumps or breakouts, it didn't do much in fixing the problem areas I already had. I will not be repurchasing this in the future because in my opinion I could probably find a better product for around the same price. I'm thinking of trying the Boots Tea Tree & Witch Hazel Toner (£3.59) or the Neutrogena Visibly Clear Spot Stress Control 3-in-1 Daily Cleansing Lotion (£3.99). If any of you have used these products before, I'd love to know what you'd think of them or if you have any other products to recommend!
♥
Bloglovin' | YouTube | Twitter | Instagram

Review: Rimmel Apocalips in Celestial

I searched for these bad boys everywhere back in the States but no matter where I went they could not be found. That's why the Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquers ($10.68) were at the top of my shopping list for when I came to London. I bought mine in the shade Celestial, which is a mauvey pink, but I'm certain I'll be adding more to my collection the next time I visit Superdrug.

To start off, the packaging is very drugstore. It doesn't try to pose as a higher end product and if you are very judgmental on packaging as I am, it looks flat out cheap. The product comes in a standard tube, like that you'd find lip gloss in, with the only unique property being that it has an irregularly shaped top. I'm assuming it's meant to represent a constellation of some sort since all the names of the shades have to do with outer space.

Once you open up the product you can see that it comes with a hollowed-out doe-foot applicator, which I've never seen before. I'm not sure if the design serves a particular purpose but I'm very impressed by the application. The product glides on smooth and is highly pigmented. I only need two coats for full opacity and to cover any areas I may have missed in my first coat.

On me, the lip stain lasted for approximately 6 hours with eating and drinking before it began to fade. I wanted to test its limits so I didn't reapply it and while the color was quite subtle, the product was still on my lips come the end of my 12 hour day. Never once did my lips feel dry and the color faded evenly across my lips, unlike the L'Oreal Lip Lacquers, which tends to fade in patches. Quite impressive if you ask me since I've never found a drugstore lip stain to last that long.

I'm incredibly impressed by the Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquers and there's no doubt in my mind that I'll be purchasing more shades. I'd highly recommend this product if you're looking for an affordable, long-lasting lip stain. I currently have my eye on Stellar, Nova, Galaxy and Apocaliptic. It's possible that by the end of my time here I'm going to have accumulated all the shades!
♥
Bloglovin' | YouTube | Twitter | Instagram

Review: Boots Essentials Cleansing Wipes

I first mentioned this product in my Boots & Superdrug Haul not too long ago and if you watched it then you'll know what I'm going to say next. This Boots Essentials Cleansing Wipes (£1.50) is absolute rubbish. I only bough them because I was jet lagged wandering around Boots trying to pick up whatever I desperately needed in as little time as possible and it happened to be on a 3 for £3 sale.
While I got the product for only £1, in essence you are paying £1.50 for 25 wipes. I believe this is the standard amount of wipes you would typically get in one of these packets but I feel like I use them up so quickly because sometimes I'll need two to effectively rid my face of all my makeup. This is because the wipes are so dry. When you take them out of the packet you feel almost no moisture and even when I got down to the bottom of my last pack the sheets were still not damp.
I feel like I'm rubbing my face with a paper towel when I'm using this product. I'm the type of person who likes wipes that are heavily saturated so clearly this product gets a big thumbs down from me. I believe the only up side to these wipes are that they are not heavily scented and I haven't had any problems with irritation from the formula.
I ended up buying two of these Boots Essentials Cleansing Wipes and one Boots Essentials Eye Make-Up Remover Gel for a total of £3. While it certainly was a bargain, I would have much rather paid more money for products that actually work. If you read my review on the Boots Essentials Eye Make-Up Remover Gel then you'll know that it sounded exactly like this one. After my experience with these two products from the Boots Essentials line, I can decidedly say that I am never buying a product from this line again.
♥
Bloglovin' | YouTube | Twitter | Instagram

Review: Models Own Velvet Goth (Sardonyx)

Models Own is a UK based beauty brand that has yet to make its way to the States, as far as I know. I first mentioned this product in my Boots & Superdrug Haul on YouTube, so if you haven't watched it already be sure to check it out to see my initial impression of the polish. It turns out that this polish isn't all too different from what I imagined it would be when I first picked it up and bought it.

This Models Own Nail Polish in the shade Sardonyx (£5.00) is part of their limited edition Velvet Goth collection. Velvet Goth features 5 different polish shades: Obsidian (black), Valerian (midnight blue), Amethyst (dark purple), Sardonyx (ruby red) and Absinthe (bluish green). Of the 5 shades, I picked up Sardonyx because it looked to be the most wearable for my skin tone and style.

All the Velvet Goth polishes have a matte base with chunks of micro glitter. Sardonyx happens to have a matte dark red base with ruby red and black micro glitter. In the photo the polish doesn't look like anything special but in real life I guarantee you it looks much better.
It also turns out that the polish is scented. I can't quite place a finger on it but it's definitely a berry scent, possibly strawberry. I thought it'd be cool to have a scented polish but now I'm getting kind of annoyed at smelling artificial berries every time I pass my hand by my face. I really hope the smell goes away in a day or two.
Overall, this polish is pretty much what I had expected it to be, the only twist is that it's scented. I must have missed the note about it being scented somewhere on the display. I'm pretty happy with this polish as it's really quite unlike anything I have in my collection but I'm certain that I won't be buying another shade from this collection. I think one of these polishes is enough for me as I can tell that I probably won't be wearing this too often.

♥

Bloglovin' | YouTube | Twitter | Instagram

Review: Lush Celestial Facial Moisturizer

I've always been a sucker for Lush. There's something about the simplistic packaging and company values that draw me in to their products. If you saw my Lush, Sephora & Barneys Beauty Haul, you'll know that I stopped off at Lush before I came to London to stock up. Which in hindsight was pretty silly since Lush was founded here in England, so the prices on some of their items is actually lower.

One of the products that I picked up during my visit was this Lush Celestial Facial Moisturizer ($24.95). If you read my Lush Ultrabland Facial Cleanser review that I posted up two weeks ago on my blog, you'll know that I was looking for a skincare routine to help treat my acne-prone and oily skin. The wonderful sales associate at Lush in Soho recommended I use the Lush Ultrabland Facial Cleanser with this Lush Celestial Facial Moisturizer in order to "reset" my skin.

I had been using Lush's Imperialis Facial Moisturizer ($24.95) before this and noticed that it wasn't hydrating my skin enough, so I asked for something more moisturizing this time around. The sales associate at Lush recommended I try the Lush Celestial Facial Moisturizer because it's formulated for dry and sensitive skin so it's moisturizing while at the same time it's not too thick that it'll irritate or clog my pores. It sounded like good enough logic to me so I picked it up and have been using it for a little over a month now.

The product is made of almond milk and cocoa butter so it pretty much smells like a milkshake for your face. Beware though for it is heavily scented, so if you don't think you can stand the smell of almond milk then I'd suggest you opt for a different moisturizer. If you can get past the scent, or actually enjoy it like I do, you'll notice that the product has a very light and milky consistency. It's not a thick cream but it's not watery like some light facial moisturizers are. It's in that in between state so it feels decadent when applying it and your skin drinks it up quickly since it's still quite light.
Since I've started using the Lush Celestial Facial Moisturizer I've noticed that my skin hasn't been as dry. When I was using the Lush Imperialis Facial Moisturizer, the area of my forehead in between my brows would always be dry and flaky no matter how much moisturizer I applied. Now the flakiness is gone and the rest of my skin isn't too overly hydrated. I've been really enjoying this product since I've bought it and if it weren't for my need to try every possible facial moisturizer I can that piques my interest, I'd definitely buy this again. ♥
Bloglovin' | YouTube | Twitter | Instagram

Review: Boots Essentials Eye Make-Up Remover Gel

One of the first things I did when I moved into my dorm a little over 2 weeks ago was take a trip to Westfield Stratford Center to pick up toiletries that I either couldn't, or had forgotten, to bring with me from home. My first stop was Boots, which I suppose could be compared to an Ulta back home in the States. Suffering from jet lag and a lack of sleep, I didn't want to think too much about what I was buying so I grabbed things on a whim.
One of those things was this Boots Essentials Cucumber Eye Make-Up Remover Gel (£1.50). I'd heard decent things about Boots' brand of skincare and couldn't be bothered to scour the aisles for a different one so I dropped it in my basket and headed for the checkout line. In hindsight, I probably should've looked a little harder for a better makeup remover because I really wish I didn't buy this one.
Straight off the bat, the product looks like complete rubbish. The packaging is cheap and totally generic. It comes in a cheap plastic bottle with nothing but the name of the product printed on the front. I really should've been more judgmental of this product, because if I had I never would've picked it up.
The product itself is as much crap as the packaging is. It's a thick gooey gel formula that you pretty much smoosh onto your eyes with a cotton round to attempt to take your makeup off. With the first swipe you end up with panda eyes and with every swipe after that you slowly start to remove your makeup. I find that I have to use a lot of product and sometimes go in a second time with another cotton pad or makeup removing towelette in order to really get off all my makeup.
Needless to say, this is a terrible product that hopefully I can return. If any of my readers knows the Boots in-store return policy, please let me know what it is because I feel like I just wasted £1.50.
♥
Bloglovin' | YouTube | Twitter | Instagram

Review: Soap & Glory Hand Food

Come the colder months I tend to develop an obsession with keeping my hands moisturized as I can't stand to see them dry and flaky. Thus, I have tried numerous hand creams from high-end to drugstore. Some were good and others were bad, but this Soap & Glory Hand Food Hydrating Hand Cream ($5.00 for 1.7 oz) has made it to the top of my list.

Review: Lush Ultrabland Facial Cleanser

If you've been following me for some time now, you'll know that I've been struggling a lot with my skin as of late. I've been breaking out around my T-zone, especially in the area between my brows and around my hairline. I tried numerous different products, tools and regimens hoping that I'd find a cure. However, all I was doing was using harsher and harsher products that were causing me to break out even more.

I decided to make a trip to Lush because I know that their staff is generally very knowledgable and their products are all natural with no harsh chemicals that could irritate my skin any further. The sales associate at the Lush store in Soho was brilliant and turned me on to what is known as the Ultrabland ($16.95 for 1.5 oz.) diet.

Review: Hourglass Foundation/Blush Brush No. 2

I made a trip a few weeks ago to Sephora and bought a bunch of stuff before I went abroad and somehow this pricey brush made its way into my bag. This Hourglass Foundation/Blush Brush No. 2 ($58) was definitely not worth the money. Don't get me wrong, the brush is of very high quality, however for the price tag it just didn't cut it for me.

Review: Mica Beauty Cosmetics Mineral Eye Shadow in Bronze

I've never been a huge fan of mineral eyeshadows, I always found them too messy to work with. Often times, if I just dampen my brush and use a pressed shadow I can achieve the same high shine and intensely pigmented look. However, if you watched my August Ipsy Glam Bag Unboxing video on YouTube you would've seen how excited I was after swatching this Mica Beauty Cosmetics Mineral Eye Shadow ($14.95) in Bronze.

Review: Pixi Lash Booster Mascara

I'm always looking to try new mascaras because I have yet to find one that could be considered my holy grail. I have straight and thin Asian lashes so I need something that can hold my curl and give me both volume and length. So when I received this Pixi Lash Booster Mascara ($17) as part of my August Ipsy Glam Bag, I was excited to try it.