Ipsy Glam Bag Review | December 2016

2016
Hey everyone! I got another Ipsy glam bag in the mail a week ago. I started subscribing to Ipsy last month- you can read my November glam bag review here. If you don't know already, Ipsy is a beauty subscription box that sends you 4-5 beauty products each month for $10. If you decide to try out Ipsy for a month, you can use my referral link- http://bit.ly/2gQa9jx. 

M Y   B A G  I N C L U D E S
-Hanalei Lip Treatment (5mL) // http://bit.ly/2gVGGR6
-Beau Gâchis Concealer Brush (1oz) // http://bit.ly/2hTjSDd
-Aurora Eyeliner (1mL) // http://bit.ly/2hOfesK
-Ofra Highlighter (4g) // http://bit.ly/2gVxcVO
-Tarte Maracuja Oil (7mL) // http://bit.ly/2hOcegi
Here's the card that came in my glam bag. All the products in the bag are based around the holiday season and are perfect for any holiday party. 
H A N A L E I  L I P  T R E A T M E N T
I've already used this product so much and I really love it! It is super moisturizing and is great for hydrating your lips after you exfoliate them with a lip scrub. It doesn't have a smell and is a thick consistency. It is also great for wearing overnight so that you wake up with lips that aren't chapped.

B E A U  G A C H I S  C O N C E A L E R  B R U S H
I usually use a sponge to blend out concealer, but this brush is nice if you need to blend a small area. It works well and blend nicely. 

A U R O R A  E Y E L I N E R
I usually don't wear liquid eyeliner because it can get really messy. I think this liquid eyeliner is really easy to use. I normally will apply it to my eyes and then wait for about 30 seconds to let it dry. Once it's dry, it does not budge at all which is great! I received this eyeliner in blackberry which is a dark black color. 

O F R A  H I G H L I G H T E R
This is a highlighter/eyeshadow in the shade bliss. It comes in a magnetic pan that can be put into a magnetic makeup palette like a Z palette. The color is extremely pretty and very versatile. It is also extremely pigmented as you can see in the picture above. I love that you can wear this as an eyeshadow and a highlighter! 

T A R T E  M A R A C U J A  O I L 
I've heard great things about this oil so I was excited to try it out. You can do so many things with the oil, like put it on nails, hair and skin or use it as makeup remover! You could also use the oil as a highlighter too. It comes with a dropper so you don't have to pour out the oil on your hand and waste product. 

My favorite product from the December Ipsy glam bag is the...
OFRA HIGHLIGHTER

Remember to check out my last Ipsy glam bag review here. 
If you're interested in subscribing to Ipsy, you can sign up here. 

Thanks so much for reading!

Thea
xx

2016 Christmas Gift Guide | Makeup Lover

2016
Hey everyone! Christmas is coming right up so I put together a few things that I think would be perfect gifts for someone who is a makeup fanatic. I did a holiday gift guide last year too that you can check out here. I hope you all find this useful :)

Christmas gift guide - makeup
Victoria's Secret perfume set | makeup brush set | Ciaté nail polish set | Too Faced makeup set | makeup bag | Sephora mask set | straightener | First Aid Beauty set | Stila liquid lipstick set | The Body Shop gift set | Clarisonic mia 2 | Becca palette | Huda eyeshadow palette | Ardell false eyelashes | Philosophy set

I think sets of things are perfect to buy for people! The Body Shop has great deals on holiday sets around Christmas, and they all smell so good! To save money, you can also buy sets and split them up to give to people.

Face masks and skincare sets are also great presents, especially during winter because usually skin starts to get dry.

Face and eyeshadow palettes are always nice to buy, especially if you know the favorite brands of the person you are shopping for. If you know someone who is just starting out with makeup, you could also buy a makeup brush set with all the basic brushes in it.

Hopefully you found this post useful! If you want more ideas, check out my post from last year here.

Thanks for reading!
Thea
xx

Clarisonic Brush Head Dupe + Review and Comparison ♡

cheap
Hey everyone! So today I decided to do another product review of a dupe or cheap alternative to the Clarisonic Mia brush heads. I am going to compare this alternative with the normal brush head that I received when I got my Clarisonic Mia 2. Usually the normal Clarisonic replacement brush heads cost $27 which is super expensive for a face brush that needs to be replaced every 3 months. I went on Amazon and bought replacement heads from a company called GreenInsync. I purchased the Cleansing 3 Pack and Deep Cleaning 2 Pack both for $12.98. Each brush individually only cost me $2.60 instead of the whopping $27 I would have spent at Clarisonic!


Links
Clarisonic Mia 2 in Sea Breeze
Clarisonic Normal Replacement Brush Head
GreenInsync Cleansing 3 Pack and Deep Cleaning 2 Pack

Here is a picture of the new brush heads that I purchased versus my 1 year old Clarisonic one (obviously I was in need of new brush heads). The green brushes are for cleansing and the blue ones are for deep cleaning. The black/grey brush is just normal. The 2 brands of brushes were both similar in size. The GreenInsync brushes had softer bristles that were less dense. I don't think they do quite as good a job cleaning your face as the original Clarisonic ones because they are less dense, so they don't exfoliate quite as deeply or harshly. This would be good is you have sensitive skin. 

The brush heads fit right onto my Mia 2 without any trouble. You have to click the piece into the Clarisonic a little differently but it is super easy. 


Here is just a comparison of the back of the brushes. The pieces are extremely similar so the alternative one is able to fit to a Clarisonic. 

Overall I think these brushes are a great deal, especially if you don't want to dump out about $30 every 3 months on a new facial cleaning brush for your Clarisonic. They are a lot softer and don't rub your face as hard as the originals, thus causing less exfoliation. I do think that these brushes are extremely necessary in getting off any extra dirt or makeup that I have on my face at the end of the day. I'm not sure if I am the only one, but I always find it gratifying when I see dirt or makeup on my brush after washing my face. It lets me know that my Clarisonic is working. If I had decided not to wash my face with it then all that extra grim would still be stuck on my face- gross!

Thanks for reading!


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Disclaimer: All thoughts, opinions and photos are mine :)

Animal Cruelty Free Face Mask Review ♡

animal cruelty free

Click here to buy

Hey guys! I used this facial mask the other day wanted to do a review of it. It's the Andalou Naturals Instant Hydration Soothing Facial Mask in the scent Roses. I also have a facial moisturizer from this brand and really like it! I've been trying to test out animal cruelty free brands lately and discovered this one! Andalou Naturals doesn't test their products on animals and also does not use genetically modified organisms in their products. 

I first washed my face using my morning burst facial cleanser so that I had a fresh, clean face. Then I peel off the facial sheet mask, line it up with my face and apply it directly to my face. I left it on for 20 minutes and then peeled it off. There was still a lot of product on my face but I didn't wipe it off. Instead I let it sink into my face so my skin could absorb more of the product. 

I loved this mask because it smelled great and made my skin look flawless after! My face was glowing and looked extremely healthy. My skin was smooth and felt rejuvenated. I definitely recommend this mask to anyone who needs a little skin boost. 

Thanks for reading!
Disclaimer: All thoughts, opinions and photos are mine :)

Animal Cruelty Free Drugstore Makeup ♡

animal cruelty free

Now that I've started researching animal cruelty free makeup products, I've noticed that they are more expensive than other makeup products. There also aren't many drugstores brands that sell animal cruelty free makeup, so usually you have to buy from expensive brands. I have found a few makeup brands that are from the drugstore (so they're less expensive!), and I have listed some below. I wish there were more big drugstore makeup companies that were animal cruelty free, but sadly there isn't a large variety. I hope you enjoy and find this post useful when you are shopping for new makeup products at the drugstore! ♡



Face Moisturizer- CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion
Face Primer- NYX Angel Veil Skin Perfecting Primer
Tinted Moisturizer- Sonia Kashuk Radiant Tinted Moisturizer
Concealer- NYX HD Concealer
Cream Contour- e.l.f. Studio Cream Contour Palette
Setting Powder- NYX HD Studio Finishing Powder
Powder Contour Bronzer- Wet n Wild Color Icon Bronzer
Blush- Milani Baked Blush
Highlighter- e.l.f. Baked Highlighter
Eyelash Curler- NYX Eyelash Curler
Eyeshadow Primer- NYX Proof It Eyeshadow Primer
Mascara- Physicians Formula Lash Transformation Kit
Gel Eyeliner- NYX Eyeliner Smudge
Lipstick- e.l.f. Studio Lipstick
Eyeshadow Palette- Sonia Kashuk Eye Couture
Eyeshadow Palette- e.l.f. Studios Need-It-Nude Palette
Makeup Bag- Forever 21 Polka Dot Makeup Bag
Lip Pencil- e.l.f. Studio Matte Lip Color
Eyebrow Pencil- NYX Microbrow Pencil
Eyebrow Gel- NYX Control Free Eyebrow Gel
Makeup Brushes- Sonia Kashuk Brush Set

Thanks for reading!

Disclaimer: All thoughts, opinions and pictures are mine :)



Animal Cruelty Free High End Makeup ♡

animal cruelty free
Here is a list of high end makeup that is animal cruelty free, which means these companies don't test on animals. You can buy most of these makeup products at Sephora or Ulta Beauty. I'm going to post an animal cruelty free drugstore makeup list later! It's very hard to find brands that are very good quality, but also well regarded, that are animal cruelty free. Most big beauty brands still test their products on animals, or their parent company tests on animals, in order to sell in foreign markets. I hope this helps if you're looking for high end makeup products that don't test on animals! ♡


Face Moisturizer- First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream
Face Primer- Too Faced Primed & Poreless
Foundation- Too Faced Born This Way Foundation
Concealer- Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer
Cream Contour- Anastasia Beverly Hills Cream Contour Kit
Setting Powder- NARS Invisible Loose Setting Powder
Powder Contour Bronzer- NARS Bronzing Powder
Eyeshadow Primer- Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion
Brushes- Sigma Travel Kit
Mascara- Too Faced Mascara
Highlighter- BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector
Blush- Too Faced Love Flush Long-Lasting Blush
Eyebrow Gel- Anastasia Beverly Hills Tinted Brow Gel
Eyelash Curler- NARS Eyelash Curler
Makeup Bag- Marc by Marc Jacobs Cosmetic Case
Eyeliner- Kat Von D Tattoo Liner
Eyeshadow Palette- Too Faced Natural Eyes Neutral
Lip Pencil- Tarte LipSurgence Lip Tint
Lip Liner- NARS Velvet Lip Liner
Sponge- Beauty Blender Makeup Sponge
Eyebrow Pencil- Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz
Setting Spray- Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray

Thanks for reading! 

Disclaimer: All thoughts, opinions and photos are my own :)

Product Review: Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation with Comfort Serum

beauty

Hello everyone! I went to Target about a month ago and bought the Rimmel Lasting Finish Foundation. I used the Cartwheel app to find a coupon that saved me 10% on my purchase, so I only paid $5.59 instead of $6.99. Rimmel London's makeup is not animal cruelty free, meaning it's tested on animals. I just recently started researching animal cruelty free beauty products, and I've decided not to throw away my old beauty products that aren't animal friendly, but to buy more products in the future that are animal friendly. I bought this foundation awhile ago, before I realized Rimmel still tests on animals. I hope you find this product review helpful!



This foundation claims to be full coverage and enriched with a comfort serum that provides instant, perfect coverage all day. It also says is supposed to be sweat, heat, humidity and transfer proof for up to 25 hours. It has a SPF 20 too, to protect skin from sunburns. I use the shade 203 in True Beige.

 

Just for reference, I have combination skin. In the Winter, it has a lot of dry patches and I need to moisturize it a lot. In the Spring and Summer, my face gets pretty oily with few dry patches. It's been cold where I live, so my face has been very dry recently. I would definitely recommend using a moisturizer with this foundation if you have dry spots on your face, because it tends to cling towards dry areas. I would also use a primer to blur out any imperfections, because the foundation wouldn't apply smoothly without it. If you have dry skin, you should use a sponge instead of a brush or your hands to apply this foundation, so that it won't irritate your dry skin and look cakey. 

I would definitely recommend this product more for people who have oily skin, because it will apply smoother and will stay in place all day. I think this would also be a great product for the Spring and Summer time, because it has SPF in it, and it won't move around from sweat or heat. I wore this foundation during my basketball game a few weeks ago, and I noticed that it stayed in place, and looked great! It is also a high coverage foundation, so it will cover up any acne, blemishes or redness. It's not super runny, or thick, and it doesn't feel like you're wearing a full coverage foundation on your face. I haven't tried the foundation on for 25 hours, because I always take my makeup off at night before I go to bed, but i would definitely say that it lasts at least 12 hours.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you learned something useful!

Disclaimer: All thoughts, opinions and photos are mine :)


Happy Valentine's Day! ♡

animal cruelty free

I hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day and got to spend time with their friends, families and loved ones! ♡


I'm really excited to read Pride and Prejudice! I am reading Sense and Sensibility right now, and I'm really enjoying it! I am also looking forward to to trying out this Andalou Naturals facial moisturizer. I've been needing a new moisturizer, and this one is animal cruelty free and vegan! I think I am going to start only wearing and using beauty and makeup products that are animal cruelty free. I looked up a list of what makeup brands still test on animals, and it was surprising to see how many big makeup companies still do.
  

Thanks for reading!

Disclaimer: All thoughts, opinions and photos are mine.

2015 Beauty, Fashion & More Favorites: Skincare

2015

Hello everyone! Today, I am going to be sharing with you my favorite things from 2015! I have quite a lot, so I have split this up into multiple posts based on the type of product. These are my favorite skincare items of 2015. I hope you enjoy! 


Skincare

Just for reference, I have combination skin, which means it gets oily and dry.
 Coconut Oil- I love using coconut oil on my face! Coconut oil has many benefits, and can be used on your hair and skin. I put some of the coconut oil in a plastic container in my bathroom. Then, at night I put some in my hands, which instantly liquefies it. Next, I rub it all over my face, which takes off all my makeup! I like using this, because it doesn't hurt when it gets in your eyes, and it will take anything off, including waterproof makeup. Since it is an oil, the makeup and oil will stay on your face until you rinse it off with water... so you may look like a raccoon until you rinse your face! Another cleansing oil I love that is more on the pricier side is the Laura Mercier Purifying Cleansing Oil. I used to use this product all the time, but coconut oil is a cheaper alternative!

Clarisonic Mia 2- I use my turquoise Clarisonic Mia 2 about every other night to exfoliate and cleanse my face. It gets rid of dirt and oil that build up on your face throughout the day. I got my Clarisonic as a present from my family, and I have noticed a huge difference in my skin! I use it with whatever face wash I am using at the moment, and it drastically reduces or gets rid of any breakouts the next morning. The only downside to this product is that you are supposed to change the brush heads every 3 months. I haven't gotten around to buying a new one, so I've been using the same one for almost a year now... my bad. It still works fine though.

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream- My face gets really dry in the Winter, so this moisturizes and nourishes my face over night. I put this on my face right after I use my Clarisonic, so it will sink in and hydrate my face. 

Bobbi Brown Hydrating Face Tonic- This toner is great, because it takes off any makeup that may still be left on my face, and it balances out my face, so it's not too dry or too oily. I love using this at night on a cotton pad, because it ensures that my face is perfectly clean and happy!
Predire Paris Argon Oil Facial Peeling Gel with Vitamin E- I really like using this product after washing my face when I'm not using my Clarisonic. It's not messy and it's really easy to apply over your face. You use it like a face mask and keep it on for as long as you really want.

Deep Sea Cosmetics Sensual Dead Sea Body Salt Scrub- This salt scrub smells really good and works wonders on your skin! I usually put it on my hands when they get dry or crusty, and once I wash the scrub away, they feel so soft and smooth. You can also use this body scrub on your legs or arms to make them look shiny and feel amazing. I would definitely recommend this product to anyone who needs a good exfoliating scrub!


Thanks for reading! 
Disclaimer: All thoughts, opinions and photos are mine :)





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