Beauty Product Reviews
Worth every penny
I've been eyeing this for a while and took advantage of some gift cards and the split payment plan to finally take the plunge.
This is hands down, absolutely worth every penny. Besides the gorgeous packaging, scent, and texture, this has been the best solution for any inflammation that I have. While nothing can "cure" hormonal cystic acne, whenever I have this type of blemish, using this balm overnight calms the inflammation and redness significantly. It does help these flares calm down. Prior to using this, a cystic zit would take a week or more to go away. Since using this, these types of breakouts calm down fade in three days. Heaven!
A little also goes a long way. I use a tiny scoop to pick up a pea size amount, which is enough to cover my entire face. While pricey, I can tell this will last for a long time before I have to replenish.
Good, but not absolutely great
When I began to see what people were getting in this year's Lucky Bag and Lucky Bag XL, I was a little concerned that I would end up with a majority of products that I wouldn't use. Thankfully, I got a good bag but I think there are some things that Beautylish could do for 2020's bag that would make it a better experience for everyone:
1) I couldn't find the Light/Medium Tan/Dark options for the Lucky Bag XL, like they had last year. Maybe I just missed it, but I didn't see it. Plus, with the extra rush to get an XL (I think this sold out in 2 minutes during early access), it can be easy to miss. If this option was taken away, please bring it back as I ended up with a face product that is too light.
2) It may be a better idea to not put false lashes in boxes. I saw that some people ended up getting lashes who don't use them. Lashes seem like something that not enough people use generally to put in a mystery bag.
3) I think it may be worth exploring doing a skincare only box, for skin care enthusiasts or for makeup enthusiasts who keep up with yearly releases and don't want to risk getting a makeup item they already own.
4) This seems to be a general sentiment, but this year's bag seems to be a little lackluster in comparison to last year's bag. Maybe it's the lack of big ticket items in boxes, especially pricier eyeshadow palettes, but it seems that almost everyone is underwhelmed with the 2019 bags.
I'm leaning towards trying this again in 2020, but I hope there's some improvement in next year's offering.
Worth the money
I bought the smaller size to try out, since this is the priciest of The Abnormal Company's hyaluronic offerings. It's absolutely worth every penny. While the hyaluronic acid serums from sister brands The Ordinary and Hylamide are very effective, this has a wonderful texture that just sinks into the skin and improves the absorbency of the skincare products that follow it. I use it as my first step AM and PM, following cleansing and toning. It gives the skin a wonderfully plump appearance, like you're perfectly hydrated.
Will be repurchasing the larger size once my 15 ml bottle runs out.
Worth the money
I bought the smaller size to try out, since this is the priciest of The Abnormal Company's hyaluronic offerings. It's absolutely worth every penny. While the hyaluronic acid serums from sister brands The Ordinary and Hylamide are very effective, this has a wonderful texture that just sinks into the skin and improves the absorbency of the skincare products that follow it. I use it as my first step AM and PM, following cleansing and toning. It gives the skin a wonderfully plump appearance, like you're perfectly hydrated.
Will be repurchasing the larger size once my 15 ml bottle runs out.
Pleasantly surprised!
I received my box yesterday and could not be happier by what I got! Holy moly, the quality of the products are outstanding! To receive a Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Lips, a Natasha Deanna eyeshadow palette (in a color pattern I wouldn't have picked up myself, but am so excited to have!), Oribe hair product, CoverFX powder, my favorite of Wayne Goss' eye brushes, and a Sulwhasoo sheet mask was a crazy great surprise!
The only product in the lucky bag that I will be regifting is the Jouer highlighting trio. This isn't because I dislike it, but because I already own these highlighters. Still, this will make a wonderful gift for a friend.
The only reason I'm knocking down one star is because next year I would love to see a lucky bag for Olive/Tan complexions. I went with light/medium based on the photos supplied by the website, but I knew I was running the risk of getting products that wouldn't 100% work with my complexion. I think a lot of us tan gals would appreciate our own category instead of doing guess work between light/medium and deep/dark. Still, tremendously surprised and will definitely be buying another lucky bag in the future! I hope the larger bag option also makes a comeback!
Great feeling Hyaluronic Acid
I'm a huge lover of hyaluronic acid in my skincare routine and decided to give this a go on Stephanie Nicole's recommendation. She says she prefers this to sister brand, The Ordinary's Hyaluronic Acid solution, if you can afford the slightly higher price point. I have to agree. My skin drinks this up and loves this level of hyaluronic acid. It helps to hydrate and soften my skin, both AM and PM. Leaves the skin beautifully plump for makeup application and for no makeup days.
If this is too pricy, I think The Ordinary's version is a good alternative. I do prefer this one because it's texture is a bit smoother and not as sticky, but both perform well. Both Hylamide and The Ordinary are under parent company Deciem, with Hylamide being the pricier brand.
If you want to add hyaluronic acid, but are afraid that your skin might have some sensitivity to it, try out The Ordinary's version first. If your skin does well with it, then I would recommend bumping it up to this suspension. I alternate between the two, depending on availability and my pocketbook.