Beauty Product Reviews

I Found My Unicorn

I've always loved eye masks, and now that I've gotten my fiance into them as well, eye masks tend to not last long in my household. I've been on the hunt to find fantastic eye masks in a larger quantity than just a 5 or 6 pack and for a good price. I honestly thought I was looking for a unicorn at this point. And I was perusing on the site here and stumbled upon these masks.

De-puffs the eyes? Check. Brightens? Check. Gives me that 7-8 hours of sleep look in just 10 minutes? Check. Comes with 30 pairs and for around the same price as a 5 pack? Check and check.

I was sold.

When they finally arrived, I had to try out a pair immediately. They felt so soothing and cool, and it remained that way until I took them off. I loved that it came with a little spoon to make it easier (and more hygienic) to pick up the masks out of the container. After removing them after 10 minutes, my eyes not only felt less tired and puffy, they looked it as well. The serum absorbs easily after you remove the masks, so your under eye area doesn't feel tacky or greasy afterwards. The serum itself is lightweight and just leaves behind beautiful, hydrated skin, so no oily or greasy texture before or after. I was so impressed with how these worked, I immediately stuck them in my skincare fridge for that extra bit of chill with each use. They also don't have any fragrance, so that is a definite plus, especially with an eye product.

I only got one container initially, as I wanted to see how happy I was with them and once they are close to running out, I'll be grabbing them 3 at a time. My fiance likes them just as much as I do, so I know these definitely won't last long!

Great Intro to VDL

I had tried the the original VDL Lumilayer Primer in a subscription box and loved it. I also have tried a bunch of other products from this brand that I liked as well, so this kit definitely caught my eye. I also have an obsession with sample sizes and value kits. This little set is a great way to try VDL's most popular primers. The sizes included are super generous, coming in at 12mL each. Though it can be a little frustrating getting the primer out, I personally use a thin eyeliner brush and found that to be helpful, while also getting out the perfect amount of primer. The full sizes do include a pump, so if you find one you like, the full-size does make things a bit easier.

I love every single primer in this set, as each does something different to prep your skin and make it look fantastic, whether you apply makeup afterwards or not. I use these even if I don't wear makeup that day because they offer skincare benefits. I don't have a favorite primer out of this set because each one is awesome, work really well and there's a primer depending on what my skin needs that day.

I will reach for the original Lumilayer primer if I feel like I need to brighten my skin by adding a little extra luminosity and wanting to keep that overall naturally radiant, lit-from-within look. It's also hydrating, but if I need some extra hydration, the Lumilayer Fresh is best for that. Similar to the original Lumilayer, this offers luminosity and natural looking radiance, but the hydration this primer offers is fantastic.

I love using the Satin Veil for when I'm aiming for that soft blur look. It's like the blur tool found in phone image editing apps but in a bottle. It's really smooth and lightweight, but isn't greasy or oily, though it would be assumed to be that, based on the type/feel of the primer. Lastly, the Velvet Blur primer does so much, almost like a combination of the other three, but no microshimmers (found in Lumilayer). It evens out the skin tone, blurs and fills pores/lines so foundation glides easily over instead of filling them, brightens and the part that I love the most, that it offers oil control. That is important for me, especially down here in South Florida during the summer. Even though I have 'normal' skin, sweating makes my skin feel more greasy during the day and I noticed that this primer definitely helps with that feeling and appearance.

I definitely suggest this set as there are some amazing primers in here, all are travel-friendly sizes and it's an overall great value. Each primer is easy to apply, absorbs quickly and none leave your face feeling oily or greasy. All are incredibly lightweight and each smell really good, too. The scent is very light, doesn't linger and not overwhelming.

There's something for everyone, so even if you know you won't use one, it would make a great addition to a "make your own gift set" that would make a great gift. I found this to be a great introduction to VDL, as their primers are their most popular products. I had never tried three of the four primers in here and now I've had a chance to finally try some of the others, I definitely will be picking up full-sizes of the remaining three I don't have (Lumilayer Fresh, Satin Veil and Velvet Blur). So, if you're looking for a new primer, keep a collection of smaller sized items for travel or just like gift sets like I do, this set is highly recommended.

Beyond Impressed

I am absolutely impressed with this foundation! This is a lightweight formula that blends in beautifully with the skin and lasts all day without any touch ups, no matter the activity, whether it’s a workout at home or or taking a walk outside in the South Florida humid and sunny afternoons. I had high hopes for this, being Tom Ford and having claims of giving off a luminous look while still looking natural and this completely surpassed all expectations I had. It’s buildable without caking and gives off the feeling like I’m not wearing any foundation at all. Even on days I don’t go out, I love reaching for this because it’s so comfortable to wear. Even though it is medium coverage, I still love that it looks like I’m not wearing any foundation and looks like my natural skin but at its very best. I didn’t notice any oxidation with this product, which is a huge plus for me. I do want to note there is a very light scent reminiscent of sunscreen, but it isn’t overwhelming nor does it linger. I cannot stop raving about this foundation and love that I got a chance to try this, because I wouldn’t have considered this before because of the price tag but it is worth every single penny. I will definitely be replenishing this once I run out since I love that it works as a foundation beautifully while looking and feeling natural, offering nourishing and hydrating skincare benefits, keeps my skin protected with SPF50 and overall makes my skin look naturally radiant. I received this product complimentary for reviewing purposes from Tom Ford and Influenster and all opinions are my own.

Gorgeous Palette That Brings Those Spring/Summer Vibes

This palette has always stood out and intrigued me. I loved that I could keep it simple and natural (my typically daily look) or add some color to make a look pop. The pink and orange always called to me, so I finally decided to take the plunge and I'm so happy I did. Once it arrived, I have to admit the packaging first took my breath away. The design is beautiful and the packaging itself is very sturdy, so it's a solid palette. The pan size is incredibly generous, so I know I won't be able to run through this too quickly.

I was even more blown away by how beautiful these shadows perform on my eye. None stain, but the colors surely are vibrant and last all day. They don't crease either, which is a definite plus for those of us with hooded eyes. I've also used this palette with different concealers and primers and found some favorites, though many work really well with this palette as a base.

The concealers I used that I like the best (if you prefer concealer as an eye base over primer) is Tarte Shape Tape, Hourglass Vanish Airbrush and Becca Ultimate Longwear Concealer. As for primers specifically, I prefer Viseart Seamless primer, NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof and Urban Decay Primer Potion. Those are my personal preferences, but I have used a multitude of different bases and like many, including E.L.F. Putty Primer and even Farsali Unicorn, Skintune or Glass Skin serums. So, no matter which you use for a base, you'll get some great wear and beautiful, vibrant colors.

The shadows do apply nice and smooth. They don't require a lot to build up the vibrancy, which is something that I definitely love about this palette. The colors are true to what you see in the pan and feel quite silky. The mattes blend well together, even the shimmers and mattes together. In this particular palette, the only color which needed bit of extra building, not much, but still needed some to be less transluscent, is Free Spirit. It is a very light creamy beige and I usually prefer it as a base and is even light enough to be a light brow bone highlight.

The one issue that I have with this palette is the kickback when I go to pick up the shadows on my brush. Even if I lightly sweep my brush over the shadow, it leaves behind a lot of 'eyeshadow dust'. I didn't notice as much fall out when I applied it to my eye, but still there was some, but not as much kickback. I did find the amount of kickback surprising since usually shadows with similar amounts are chalky, sheer shadows when I apply them. These, on the other hand, are bold and vibrant. So, even with the amount of kickback that occurs with each shade, I still feel that this is an excellent palette worthy of the rating I gave because of how it overall performs on my eye.

This definitely is a staple palette for me, since I love the different kinds of looks that I get from it. Minus the kickback, I find this palette to be a high-performing product that offers a good division of beautiful natural colors and colors that pop. This takes me out of my comfort zone and allows me to try new looks and techniques. The quality is awesome and absolutely worth the price with the vibrancy of the shadows when they're applied to the eye, the incredibly generous pan size and the silkiness of application of the shadows. I usually am not a fan of "influencer owned" brands, but this definitely opened my mind to give them a try, because you just might like it. It's a gorgeous palette and has found a permanent place in my "staple palettes" category.

Beautiful, Versatile, Multi-Use Palette

Okay, so I admit I was seriously intimidated with the dark blush shade, not just because it looked like it would be too dark, but because I usually use a simple powder blush (and the same one for the past 15 years). Plus, I had a feeling I'd get the most use out of the Duo Glow shade since that matches closest to my "safety blush" XD

I ended up watching the YouTube tutorial/video that Natasha did on her channel doing a step-by-step of how to use it. I watched the video first, then applied mine along with the video. I actually really suggest this video as she makes it really easy to follow along no matter if you're a makeup pro or someone who just does what makes you happy and feel confident (more like me). When I was finished, I looked in the mirror and was amazed at how in love I am with this palette. It looked beautiful and like a healthy flush of color with some ethereal out-of-this-world glow to go with it.

The Cream Blush is a relatively sheer cranberry shade that buffs out super easily to create a beautiful blush shade. This is a lot more pink than I typically use, as I prefer more peachy shades, so this helped me step out of my comfort zone shade wise and even the type of product. The cream dries down quickly but not so quick that it isn't easy to buff out and manipulate to the perfect desired level of color. It dries down to a satin powder finish. Now that I'm more comfortable using this blush, I mix both cream shades together to create a unique cranberry-peachy-pink with a light golden sheen that is right up my alley. I've even used this shade as a "lip stain" topped with the Glow Creme base that looked so pretty when finished.

The Glow Creme Base is perfect as a base before adding the blush, can be mixed with the blush or even as a base for after the blush is applied to add some serious "extra" before adding the highlight. There's not one "right way" to work this palette. It's a soft pink with a pearlized golden sheen. You can add this to the highs of your cheekbones, your temples, inner corner of your eye, on your lid, brow bone, lip, cupid's bow, etc. This is such a versatile shade that compliments beautifully. It has more of just the "glow" to it rather than the color, but the color is dark enough that you can see that it's just the lightest pink.

The first of the two powders is the one that has more obvious shimmer in it, but not so much that it looks obnoxious. Called Glow Extreme, the name says it all. A gorgeous champagne rose shade with gold shimmer that really stands out truly can be described as an "extreme highlighter". You glow for days. Used atop the Glow Creme Base and blush, whoa...words cannot describe. It has a nice amount of longevity compared to other powders I've used. If i wear it all day with an engagement in the evening to attend as well, I do touch it up, but it doesn't need a full second application, just a tiny, tiny touch-up. So it stays put, to say the least. I've also used this alone, to highlight the inner corner of my eye and as an eyeshadow topper, so the versatility of the palette continues in the powder shades.

The Duo Glow is the other extreme highlighter in this palette, but in a different way. It's a beautiful peachy-pink with a golden duochrome sheen. While it doesn't have individual shimmer pieces, it still offers as much "extra" as the Glow Extreme. It's a lovely lightweight powder that feels like silk and has longevity. I used this with a light hand and was able to make this appear like an all-in-one blush/highlight. It goes well with the blush and even works with other blushes not found in this palette.

This palette is just fabulous and I love it so much. The colors are beautiful and can offer a simple blush look all the way to a beautiful flush of color topped with some extraordinary ethereal highlight. The creams in particular don't need touching up during the day, with the powder highlights possibly needing a small touch-up, nothing more. It's versatile and can be used on other surfaces beyond the cheeks, such as lids, brow bone, lips, etc. A little goes a long way with this one and sometimes a light hand is best with this, but it's absolutely worth it. The size of the palette is small enough to be easy to travel with, but the pan sizes are generous and easy to dip larger brushes in, though fingers, I'm finding, seem to be my favorite tools to use when applying these shades (at least the creams). I apologize for the length of this, but this has become a staple for me. I also just purchased the ND Tan Bronze & Glow to work with this one and cannot wait to see how they play together!

One of the Best Blushes

This is my first Kevyn Aucoin product I've ever tried and I am so happy this was the first experience of the brand. I got this in my PS Must Have winter box and I am in absolute love with this. Each individual color is beautiful but taking my brush the entire length left to right creates the perfect shade with just enough glow. All I need is one swipe in the pan and on my cheek. It's also color that lasts, so touchups during the day isn't necessary. It blends out beautifully and creates a natural-looking flush of color with a little bit of "extra" added to it. The powder itself is soft and transfers flawlessly from pan to brush to skin, so there's no waste. I always compare new blushes to my favorite go-to blush I've been using for years, which is NARS Orgasm. This ranks alongside with vibrancy of color, ease of application, the formulation of the powder itself and the shade. I wouldn't call it a "dupe" shade, but for those that do love that particular blush would find this one to have similar characteristics since both have a golden sheen with it and a natural-looking flushed color. I have a weakness for a beautiful blush and this one tops my favorites list. I now want to try all other Kevyn Aucoin products and the other shades of this blush.

One of My New Favorites

I really got into lip gloss this past summer and don't see myself slowing down!! I have been reaching for this over and over again, even though I purchased both this one (Safe Word) and Her Glossiness (the deep bronze), while figuring I'd be wearing the deep bronze one more. Don't get me wrong, I'm totally loving Her Glossiness as well, as it truly is the perfect bronze with gold and peachy pink shimmer and is stunning; Safe Word just is more versatile (in my opinion). This has become one of my favorite glosses I own. It is subtle enough that it works in professional or modest dress situations, but still fun enough to add that little bit of "extra" to any look. I have worn this both alone and over lipstick (nudes predominantly with the occasional bronze or "adventurous" shade like Asphyxia from Urban Decay) and it looks beautiful both ways. I have noticed I do wear it alone more, but that's just a personal preference. The formula itself is very comfortable and lasts a decent amount of time compared to some other glosses I own or have tried. It isn't super thick or goopy, as it spreads out easily. I usually only need one swipe for the bottom lip and one swipe for the upper lip, but adding an extra swipe doesn't make it feel odd or too thick. The gloss also cushions the lips and is very hydrating. I've noticed that I'm reaching for my balm not as much since my lips feel hydrated, soft and conditioned more and longer after using this almost every single day. It has a very, very faint vanilla scent which isn't overwhelming and actually reminds me of a delicious vanilla cupcake <3 This may be superficial, but I'm obsessed with the packaging, as the tubes and wands are so luxurious looking and look beautiful and really stand out amongst my other glosses and lipsticks. I can tell Jeffree took his time with these and they turned out amazing. I definitely plan to add other shades to my collection and will be needing a restock on this shade very soon.

Perfect All-In-One

Just like the other ladies, I received this in my Boxycharm and I couldn't be happier. I already love CoverFX and own tons of product from them, including foundation and concealer. I love how versatile the products are, the formulas and ingredient choices from this company. Upon seeing that this was the centerpiece of March's box, I was super excited. I travel a lot and bringing separate highlighters, setting powder, blushes and bronzer/contour easily can take up a lot of space in a makeup bag (and adding weight to my checked luggage). This palette cuts out needing all those separate products and puts them in one, perfect-sized palette.

The face powder is incredibly lightweight and helps blur any imperfections without looking cakey. It does have a slight shimmer, which I am totally happy with because on the days I just use a bit of concealer under my eyes, powder, blush and a touch of highlighter, the shimmer helps to give my face that extra je ne sais quoi. The blush is a beautiful, flushed pink that is very pigmented so a light hand is all that's needed to get that lovely, natural flushed color. It's a very flattering shade and has worked with every look I have used it with. I personally don't do any heavy contouring, but I do add dimension and the matte contour shade is perfect for those like me who don't contour too much and also for those who love their chiseled cheeks <3 The contour shade is very pigmented as well, so a little goes a long way, along with a light hand.

The two highlighters are super versatile: they can be combined together, made as a soft highlight or go so blinding, you can be seen from the International Space Station XD One shade is a beautiful champagne gold and the other is a gorgeous rose gold. I've used the brightener with the highlighters and have created some pretty dimension to my highlight. Like the face powder, blush and contour, the highlighters are lightweight and a little definitely goes a long way. The formula is so soft and blends out beautifully. The brightener is a pearlescent white that works to brighten the brow bone, inner corners of the eye, cupid's bow and even to add some shimmer to a lipstick. It, too, can be used as a highlight.

This palette really does it all and in one place. I use it everyday and have even brought it on a weekend getaway. It made packing my makeup so much easier and less bulky. Don't get me wrong, I love my other blushes, loose setting powders, highlighters, etc. but this versatile palette does so much and works for both day and night, work, girl's or date night and everything in between. The formulas are fabulous and the pigmentation is insane. This is a true all-in-one, what more could you ask for?