Birchbox: March 2012

Hey dolls, I hope you are all enjoying your day. Yesterday, I finally received my March Birchbox and, I am pretty pleased with the contents that were included in my box this month. There are a few items that I would have never thought to try before so, I am happy that I now have the opportunity to do so. Take a look!

Color Club Nail Lacquer in Age of Aquarius: I love color club nail colors so, you can all imagine my excitement when I saw this mini-sized one in my box. The creamy, aqua teal green color is just perfect for the coming spring/summer. Above, I applied two coats of Age of Aquarius and I added a clear, top coat over it. This nail color went on a bit streaky at first but luckily, everything evened out beautifully when I applied coat number two. I also want to mention that this color is a bit warmer and darker in real life. My camera couldn't capture the accurate color of this polish-sorry :( St. Patrick's day is tomorrow and, I think this is the perfect mani color for the occasion. This color couldn't have arrived at a better time, LOL!

Stila Classic Smoky Eye Card: I am really excited to try these eyeshadow samples, from Stila. I have never used Stila eyeshadows but, I have heard great things about them-especially, the infamous kitten. I love how all three colors are so wearable and compliment each other well. I am sure these will look amazing against my brown eyes.

Juice Beauty Blemish Clearing Cleanser: This gel cleanser contains ingredients such as aloe, cherry, and organic lemon which not only help prevent blemishes from happening but also, gets rid of impurities while gently hydrating the skin. I love how this cleanser is free from parabens, synthetic dyes, alcohol, and fragrances. I certainly can't wait to give this cleanser a try.

Lulu Organics, Lavender and Clary Sage Hair Powder: I can't believe that I don't have hair powders in my life. I know that many swear by hair powders, whenever the hair root needs a bit of refreshment, in between washes. I have dry hair but, my roots get oily very quickly so, I am looking forward to giving this hair powder a go. I hope it works out.

Harvey Prince, Yogini: This fragrance is meant to calm and soothe the mind and body with the help of notes such as sandalwood, grapefruit, and Egyptian myrrh. Smells really lovely!

Tea Forte Skin Smart Teas: I was surprised to find tea bags in my box, much less skin-benefiting ones. Not only do these green teas look delicious but, its quite interesting how each one helps target different skin concerns. The cucumber mint helps with youth recovery, the cherry marzipan one helps to repair skin, and the honey yuzu helps renew the skin. 

What did you all receive in your Birchbox this month? 

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with any of the companies mentioned above. I purchased a monthly subscription to Birchbox, for my personal use. 

E.L.F. Studio Brushes: Angled Foundation Brush and Mineral Powder Brush

I know, I know. More E.L.F. But, I just could not wait to share these new E.L.F. Studio, face brushes with you all. These brushes are too good to pass up! Allow me to introduce you all to the Angled Foundation brush, and the Mineral Powder brush ($3.00, each).

Angled Foundation Brush: This angled foundation brush contains soft, taklon bristles that feel amazingly soft on the skin. Although this brush is meant for liquid foundation, I haven't been using it for that purpose. When it comes to applying foundations, I much prefer to use my beauty blender sponge, stippling brush, or a flat top brush. But, I have been using this brush loads for applying and blending out concealer, under my eye area and on certain areas of my face. I absolutely love how easily it gets the job done. The fact that this brush is angled is great because, it helps me comfortably blend the concealer in hard to reach, curved areas. Love!

Mineral Powder Brush: This brush is just phenomenal. Its probably my favorite out of the two. I really like how tightly packed the round dome, soft taklon bristles are, in the ferrule. The brush is semi-dense, but definitely fluffy as well. Its a great combination, I think. I have been using this brush to not only contour but, to also apply my blush with. This brush blends my cheek products beautifully and, I also love how the small brush head allows me to get precise application, when I contour. Its so easy to concentrate the product just where you want it. It sort of reminds me of the MAC 109 brush.

I have washed both brushes since I got them and, I am happy to report that I experienced absolutely no shedding during the process. As for drying time, I found that the mineral powder brush was completely dry in about 3-4 hours. But the angled foundation brush needed to be left out overnight, for it to dry properly. Once both brushes were dry, they still remained as soft as ever, and they didn't lose their shape. I think the quality is definitely there when it comes to these brushes. They look sleek, feel sturdy and, I can see these lasting a long time.

Overall, I am really pleased with both of these brushes and I am happy that these treasures are the newest additions to my makeup brush arsenal. If you are looking for affordable, nice quality face brushes, I suggest giving these a closer look. You might just love them as much as I do.

What do you all think of these brushes, from E.L.F.? Which are your favorite E.L.F. makeup brushes?

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with any of the companies mentioned above. I purchased these products for my personal use.

Review: E.L.F. Cover Everything Concealer in Light and Medium

Hey dolls! I hope you are all doing well and enjoying your day :) Today I have another new product from E.L.F. to share with you all. When I first saw that E.L.F. released a new concealer-and a cream one at that, I didn't waste any time ordering it. I picked up two shades of E.L.F.'s Cover Everything Concealer ($2.00, each) in light, and medium. I couldn't decide between the two when I saw the shades online so ultimately, I chose to buy the two color choices that I thought would best suit me. At $2.00 a pop, I didn't really mind it. There are four color choices to choose from, by the way. Corrective yellow, light, medium, and tan. 

Light, Medium

Light

Medium

Top To Bottom: Medium, Light

Light: Neutral cool beige (would probably be a good match for those who are NC15-NC20, in MAC terms)

Medium: Semi-warm, neutral peachy beige (would probably be a good match for those who are NC25-NC35, in MAC terms)

Luckily for me, both concealer shades worked out for me, when it came to using them for different purposes. For my NC25 skin tone, the light shade-even though the swatch picture above might show otherwise, is a tad too light for me to use on scars and blemishes so, I actually prefer to apply the light shade under my eyes, or on the bridge of my nose, to brighten up those areas a bit more. The medium shade is the best match for me, seeing as my face is a bit warmer than the rest of my body. I have yellow tones in my skin so, I was quite surprised at how well this shade matched me. It does not look obvious or orange at all, on me. 

I think the medium shade is great for my discolored eye area because, the peach tones help neutralize and cover up the darkness and unevenness I have. I can get away with using just this concealer alone or, if I really want some extra coverage, I first use my yellow corrector-Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Treatment Concealer in Neutralizer, and then apply E.L.F.'s Cover Everything Concealer in medium on top. Either way, I am very pleased with the end result. If you check out the before and after pictures directly below, you will see the coverage I obtained. (I applied the E.L.F. Cover Everything Concealer in medium all around my eye area, and then set it with a translucent loose powder).

  Before (left): Bare Eye

                                                  After (right): Concealer Applied/Set With Powder                                      

So, what do you think about the coverage? I think the concealer did a pretty good job at concealing my dark under eye circles and lid discoloration. The concealer has a smooth consistency that helps it blend like a dream. I also found that it did not settle or enhance any fine lines or dry areas, which is a major bonus. I have a really oily eye area so a setting powder for me is an absolute requirement-especially when it comes to cream-based products. If not, then this concealer will start to crease up on me in no time.

As for how it fares when it comes to concealing blemishes and acne scars, I think it does pretty good in that department, as well. I am currently switching back and forth between two foundations at the moment-Maybelline's Fit Me and, MAC's Matchmaster. Both foundations offer me medium-buildable coverage but, they can never completely cover up the acne scarring or blemishes I have on my cheeks and jawline. Concealer is definitely a must. I applied the E.L.F. Cover Everything concealer in medium on my problem areas in patting motions, and I found that it did actually help blur out the areas and make them less noticeable. I wouldn't necessarily say that the results were full coverage. More like, medium. Lasting power wasn't too bad. I noticed a bit of fading and very minimal creasing, around the 4-5 hour mark. Not really a huge problem because this concealer is so easy to layer on. It never makes areas appear dry or cakey so one can comfortably layer on as much product as needed, whenever.

As I mentioned before, I really do enjoy the smooth consistency of these. I am going to go so far as to say that, these are probably one of the most creamiest concealers that I have tried so far. They blend easily into my skin and most importantly, they are lightweight and don't feel heavy on, like most cream concealers tend to feel. As for the packaging, I think the clean and simple look of the compact is cute even though it feels really flimsy and not very reliable.

Overall, I am so happy that I gave these concealers a try and, I of course, will be repurchasing again. Probably not the light shade, but definitely the medium one. I honestly didn't expect to like this concealer as much as I do. What a nice surprise! If you are looking for a creamy, lightweight concealer that offers nice medium coverage, I can't recommend these enough. And, who doesn't love the affordable $2.00 price tag? I just love great bargain finds :) 

Have any of you tried E.L.F.'s Cover Everything Concealer? Which are your favorite concealers?

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with any of the companies mentioned above. I purchased these products for my personal use.

Review: E.L.F. Flawless Eyeshadows in Golden Goddess and Tantalizing Taupe

While browsing the E.L.F. website last week, I noticed that they released some new items. These Flawless eyeshadow quads being one of them. I was immediately intrigued so, I decided to order a few to try out. The two that I chose to try were Golden Goddess, and Tantalizing Taupe ($2.00, each).

Golden Goddess

L-R: Base, Lid, Crease, Line (swatched over eyeshadow primer) 

Golden Goddess

Base: Cool beige with golden shimmers

Lid: Shimmered, medium gold

Crease: Bronze apricot with golden shimmers

Line: Medium brown with golden shimmers

Tantalizing Taupe

Bottom To Top: Base, Lid, Crease, Line (swatched over eyeshadow primer)

Tantalizing Taupe

Base: Beige with a hint of pink, satin

Lid: Cool brown with shimmers

Crease: Warm medium golden brown with shimmers

Line: Dark brown matte

I was really excited when I received these eyeshadow quads. The colors were right up my alley and, they seemed to be promising. For the most part, I really like these. The shadows have a decent amount of pigmentation and, they look really soft and quite lovely on. I have oily lids so, eyeshadow primer is a must for me. I find these to last a good few hours on before they start to fade-over eye primer, of course. One of the issues that I encountered with these had to do with their texture. The shadows, although quite soft, were all very powdery. But, on the plus side, they did go on smooth and were all very easy to blend. Also, I do wish that the eyeshadow pans were a tad wider in size. Only because I feel that there really isn't much space to comfortably fit my eyeshadow brush inside, and pick up the shadow onto the brush. But, its really not a major deal-breaker. I can deal.

I do like the look of the rectangular, compact case. It's simple, it securely snaps shut, the top lid has a see through window which lets one easily see what colors are inside, and it includes a small mirror as well as a double-ended sponge tip applicator-great for when one is traveling and on the go. Even though I like the look of the compact, I do think it is quite flimsy. I definitely wouldn't want to accidentally drop these. 

I love how the eyeshadow colors compliment eachother. Its basically a no-brainer when it comes to deciding which colors to pair together. Each of the shadows contain imprints on them that act as a guide on where to place them on the eye. I always think features like this are a nice touch because, its really convenient for those who are just starting out with eyeshadow application. Guides are always appreciated. Of course, you don't necessarily have to follow them-remember, makeup is supposed to be fun. There are no rules! These remind me of the Wet n' Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow Trios because, those contain guide imprints on the shadows as well. 

Overall, if you are one who favors major, in-your-face pigment when it comes to eyeshadows, these aren't for you as I think you will be left wanting more. But, if you like soft colors with pretty shimmers as an added touch, you will definitley love these. I think these Flawless Eyeshadow Quads are pretty cool. They are inexpensive, have good lasting power and personally, I am content with the amount of pigmentation these have. It is definitely workable. I also love shimmered eyeshadows so, the fact that these contain shimmers score major points with me. Its not shimmer-overload, though. The amount is perfect, I think. I will definitely be picking up a few more quads to try in the near future.

Have any of you tried the E.L.F. Flawless Eyeshadow Quads?

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with any of the companies mentioned above. I purchased these products for my personal use.