em Cosmetics Day Life Palette

em Cosmetics is a makeup line by L'oreal and a youtube beauty guru named Michelle Phan.

The Day Life Palette was on sale for $49 so I decided to finally give it a try.


Knobs and Bobs:

The palette comes with 24 eye shadows, 8 lip products, 2 blushes, 2 bronzers, a double ended shadow/liner brush and pick removal tool.

The packaging is very sturdy with magnetic lid closures on both the large palette and travel palette.

Each product can be removed and placed into the small palette for on-the-go color application.


(All colors applied dry to skin without a primer.)

First in the palette is (look #1) 'girls'day out' at the top left.

This is a more everyday look for me. Since I have green eyes the red tones really make them pop and look great with my pale skin.

All of the color have a good consistency except for 'Busy Lady' found in the lower left corner. The color is lovely, but the formula comes off very chalky and I have to really press down hard or keep layering it to get it fully pigmented.

In contrast, 'grab your purse is very rich, creamy and pigmented.

The lip products are very pretty sheer berry colors.

a pink moment

first priority

busy lady

things to do

rush hour

grab your purse

sweet raisin 

berry busy

(look #2) 'coffee break' at top right.

These are very nice brown neutrals.

These are mostly warm yellow based neutrals so  I tend to not look very good in them.

All of the colors are ok and fairly pigmented. 'lottsa latte' is a very creamy and pigmented color and would look great on someone with darker skin than my own. 'beige frappe' seemed to come off chalky and I had to keep trying to build up the color to make it show up, which is odd considering it's a shimmer.

The lip colors look nice in the pan but apply very sheer. 'what's nude' is a lovely coral pink but 'morning peach' doesn't show up at all.

creamy

beige frappe

lottsa latte

biscotti

cocoa

espresso

what's nude?

morning peach

(look #3) 'weekend brunch' is a nice mix of yellow and pink toned neutrals.

I love the darkest color 'nibble'. The photo doesn't do it justice, it's more of a deep plum brown rather than black. The formula for it is very creamy and pigmented. 

I was able to swatch all colors without having to layer them.

The lip colors are sheer. 'parisian nude' was another gloss that doesn't really shop up once applied.

creme

girlie

peach gelato

ballet flats

french toast

nibble

roses

parisian nude

(look #3 'day dreaming' is a gorgeous mix of muted pinks and purples. 

I love all of the colors here and all of them apply smoothly. The only one that's really chalky is 'fantasy', a really pretty duo tone mauve with gold sheen. The black 'onyx dreams' isn't as pigmented or smooth as the other darks.

The lip color 'misty mauve' is my favorite of the bunch and the one I keep in my travel palette.

french kiss

light violet

silver lining

fantasy

storm kiss

onyx dreams

misty mauve

one more

(with primer)

Colors used in travel palette:

perfect rose (blush)

beige frappe

espresso

rush hour

things to do

grab your purse

light violet

fantasy

Blushes/Bronzers

(look #1) 'perfect rose    -blush

(look #2) 'cappuccino'    -bronzer

(look #3) 'pinched'          -bronzer/blush

(look #4) 'day dreaming'  -blush

Final Thoughts:

Is it worth the money? I personally think it was a good purchase for $49. I received a very large amount of product as well as a travel palette to transfer my favorites for easy on-the-go access. 

em cosmetic products are expensive and I don't think I would have been very happy with the original $75 price tag that came along with it. These are slightly better than drugstore brands but nowhere near as nice as MAC, Urban Decay or Lancome (another l'oreal brand). I'm very excited to see that the permanent price for the Life Palette series has been lowered to $59!

Is it a good product? Some of the eye shadows are pigmented and creamy. Very few need to be built up for their color to fully show. Most are chalky with a lot of fall out, but very pretty colors. All of them last for hours with a primed base. It's a nice collection of mostly dependable products but nothing to get overly excited about.

The packaging is sturdy/solid with a very clean design. I love the magnetic closure on both palettes! The only negativity I have experienced is fall out from shadows getting into the lip products. The only way to avoid this is to either remove the lip products and place them in another palette or be very very careful with using any of the surrounding shadows. I found it best to remove what I want to use for the day into the travel palette to avoid any mess. It's also good to have them around if you need to touch up during the day.

I will be trying a few more em products and will be sure to write up my experiences with them once they arrive in the mail.

*Is it just me or is there a significant lack of sentence capitalization anywhere on the em cosmetics site? It's driving me crazy. Maybe it has to do with the brands name theme? Even this palette's product names were all lower case. I would be interested in learning what others think or know about this. ^^ 

Coastal Scents 28 Neutral Palette

I've done some cleaning up and throwing away the last bits of expired eye shadows. I didn't know eye shadows expire but it makes perfect sense. It's made using ingredients and those ingredients will go bad over time.

So it was time to say goodbye to a few shadows as well as some lipsticks, gloss and misc. face stuffs.

I kept thinking about things that could give me the best bang for my buck and provide good quality. Coastal Scents immediately came to mind and I decided to finally give their products a try. They're also cruelty free, which is always a good thing with cosmetic companies.


The Knobs and Bobs:

Since I prefer a more neutral or natural look I decided that the 28 Neutral Palette would suite me best.

They even threw in four dime sized samples! I don't really wear color but the blues would look gorgeous during summer vacation or a beach/trip to the coast.


I waited until a sale came up and purchased all of this for only $9.95!

Look at all those lovely neutrals!

The only oddball color looks like that one bright pink to the left of the palette.

For the price many of these are very nice quality. The pans are slightly larger than a quarter.

I love how everything is together in one palette. I would strongly recommend a base or primer before applying though.



Swatches:

I swatched every two columns from right to left. The shadows have no names (other than the samples)...so I'll improvise! Colors are shown swatched dry with no primer or base.

Clockwise from the brown~

Thunderous- Dark olive brown
Reef Blue- Light aqua
Cloud White- Creamy off white
Paris Green- Dark aqua green

Aside from the white, the shadows are a little chalky. But the colors are very nice and different from what I usually get.







Swatches shown from top to bottom and right to left:

Dark Chaco- Dark chocolate brown (shimmer)
Fawn- Light yellow based brown (matte)
Willow- Dark brown (shimmer)
Noir- Gray/Black with red glitter specs (shimmer)
Dusty- Very light brown cream (matte)
Sahara- Yellow khaki (matte)
Brisket- Light brick brown (matte)
Oak- Milk chocolate brown (matte)

My favorite color range!

Rosemary- Dark rose pink (shimmer)
Lantern- Light orange gold (matte)
Postcard- Bright box brown (shimmer)
Antique- Sable cream (matte)
Blushing- dusty mauve pink (matte)
Caramel- Muted gold cream (matte)
Cobbler- Rich gold brown (shimmer)
Pebble- Muted dark lilac (matte)

Most of the light colors don't show up against my skin. The formula for the light colors is hard to see, most appear to have a sheen to them.

Corduroy- Soft pink brown (matte)
Oh My!- Bright cool pink (matte)
Teddy- Light yellow brown (matte)
Fossil- Earthy brown (matte)
Twine- Eggshell white
Newsprint- gray off white
Bikini- Sandy white
Oatmeal- brown off white

Peachy Keen- Light peach (shimmer)
Marble- Muted stone white
Barely- Light skin toned (shimmer)
Marsh Mellow- Chalk white

Final Thoughts:

I'm very pleased with this palette! Some very nice colors that are a step up from drugstore brands for a fraction of the cost. Some of them aren't as pigmented and require a few extra swipes, but they show up just fine with a primer or shadow base underneath. 

I don't see the need to purhcase anymore eye shadows so my original goal has been met. hopefully these will last me a good while.

If anyone is interested in their cosmetics line they also carry many other products and shadow/blush palettes. If you are interested in more information on the palettes there are many reviews online and youtube that may be helpful.

Drugstore Gems

Due to my pale and sensitive skin I usually steer clear of drugstore cosmetics or face products. They either never have my shade or the product irritates my face. But I've been noticing a rise in natural, organic or sensitive conscious brands appearing in local CVS and Walgreens around town. So I thought I would try a few things out.

Also lipstick. Because I love me some good lipstick...especially when it's on sale.


The Knobs and Bobs

I've had my eye on the 'Simple' brand for a few months. I have their facial cleansing wipes and absolutely love them! So I gave their makeup remover and moisturizer a try.

Both products work great!

Simple Protecting Light Moisturizer with SPF 15 is a wonderful facial product that I will be purchasing again. It goes on smooth and light, not oil build up or strong scent. The only thing I could faintly smell was light sunscreen and since I burn easily I didn't mind that at all. After a month of use I have not experienced any breakouts or irritation.

Simple Eye Make-Up Remover is effective and gentle. It removes all makeup without irritating my eyes! It's advertised right on the bottle that it can remove waterproof mascara and it actually does a really decent job at it. I will be purchasing again once this bottle is empty.

If you love those little egg shaped eos (evolution of smooth) lip balms then you might like their shaving cream.

eos is a fun brand with really neat packaging and decent products. I hate shaving my legs in the shower, it's a hassle. So I've been looking for a good dry shaving cream. This product claims on the bottle that it can be used wet or dry and I've heard some good things about it, so decided to give it a try.

It actually can be used dry but I found that having a damp rag and using a little water helps. All shaving creams tend to leave my legs dry irritated but not problems with this one. It smells very fresh and left my legs feeling smooth , soft and moisturized.


And last, but certainly not least, the lipstick.

Rimmel London has a fairly new line of 'moisture renew' lipstick. Since there was a buy 1 get 2nd 50% off I decided to try a few. It's getting close to fall so I chose a few neutral or slightly darker colors.

The formula is very soft and creamy. They're not as moisturizing as a lip balm and don't really stay on longer than an hour, but for less than $6 they were a pretty good buy.

My natural lips are already pretty pigmented so I've been very fortunate when it comes to using dark or neutral colors. The only colors I can't seem to pull off are very light pinks and nudes. So I was very happy that Rimmel had two darker/pinkish nudes that I could actually pull off without washing my lips out.

From top to bottom:

Dusty Rose - Brown pink with slight shimmer (slight shimmer)
To Nude or Not to Nude? - Neutral pink (frost)
Latino - bright berry pink (shimmer)
Let's Get Naked - Peachy nude cream (no shimmer)

All colors are gorgeous and would compliment any skin tone. All colors listed are moisturizing. I experienced very little dryness or peeling after wearing them.



I love the colors and formula of this line! Can't wait to grab a few more while they're on sale.

Eldemore September Sneak Peek!

A new Bazaar species is coming to eldemore.com this September!

This new pet will be exclusively available every other month and/or on special occasions. (:

July/August 2014 Ipsy Glam Bag

I've been traveling lately and haven't had time to update here much. Especially since I don't think anyone actually reads this blog. But that's ok, this is just for fun.

Ipsy is a $10 monthly beauty subscription service. If you are interested in checking the service yourself please feel free to use mt referral link here.


July

-Models Own polish in 'Red Sea'

-Pur~Lisse Daily Moisturizer with SPF 30 sample

-Clear Clinic Laboratories Spot Treatment sample

-bareMinerals 5-in-1 Cream Shadow sample

- Pixi Beauty Mini Tinted Balm in 'Unique Pink'



The Knobs and Bobs:

A nice balance of skin and makeup products this month. The bag is cute and water resistant, which makes it useful for beach or pool trips.

Pur~Lisse is a great brand and their samples are always appreciated. I love the fact that this moisturizer has a good level of spf in it.

Models Own 'Red Sea' has large glitter speck in it. The formula was a little sticky and it was chipping after 24 hours. I gave it to a younger family members and she absolutely loves it. It's a fun affordable polish.

Clear Clinics Spot Treatment works miracles! It's a very strong medicated treatment, but helps get rid of or heal acne in a day or two.

bareMinerals recently released a new 5-in-1 line of cream eye shadows. I received a nude color that works great as both a primer and shadow. It does do some serious creasing after a few hours though.

I'm already a big fan of Pixi Beauty and their products, but I've never tried their tinted balm. Mine came in the bag already slightly squished into the lid. I've noticed that the lid just won't stay on. It looks like someone forced it very tightly and crushed the tip to keep the lid on. The sample is a great size with a twist base and good amount of product. The color actually darkens when you apply it. Very neat!


August

-Cali Cosmetics Evulcano Body Creme sample

-Lord & Berry Silk Kajal  Kohl Liner sample

- Bee All Natural Organic Grapefruit Lip Balm

- Urban Decay Perversion Mascara sample

-Manna Kadar Sheer Glo Shimmer Lotion sample




I'm seeing a pattern over the past two months. Samples. Samples everywhere. Ipsy used to provide affordable beauty products and mostly full sized. The only full size this month was the lip balm. Maybe it's just been a slow season.

The Cali Cosmetics Body Creme smells wonderful! I love lemon scented things and it applies smoothly while providing long lasting moisture.

The Lord & Berry liner sample is incredibly tiny. The liner applies very smoothly and the color is vibrant. However, it smudges at the slightest touch. It is not long lasting.

Bee All Natural is a brand I'm unfamiliar with. The balm smells nice, applies smoothly and does not leave behind any sticky lip residue. It's very moisturizing!

Urban Decay has recently come out with their new Pervasion mascara. The formula is thick and the brush applicator is very soft. It does give lashes a very nice boost! But be warned that it's hard to layer without getting 'spider leg' lashes. The first time  I applied I had to remove everything due to serious clumping. I scraped some excess off the brush and was able to apply a much smoother application.

I've worn it all day and there doesn't appear to be too much smudging.


And finally we have the Manna Kadar Shimmer lotion sample. It's very smooth and blends in perfectly when used with other products or alone. However, I don't really see much of a change when it's used. If I apply it alone I can make out a little bit of a pink toned shine. But once blended in it seems to disappear on my skin. It could be I'm not using it right or it just won't show up on pale complexions. It's such a pretty peach color that it may show up better on tan to darker skin tones.


Final Thoughts:

Both July and August were nice months. Nothing really stands out but nothing I hated. All of the products can either be used or gifted to someone that can use them. At $10, the bags are a great value.

I hope to see more makeup products for the coming fall months. Warm seasons are usually more skin oriented and light on the cosmetics.

July/August 2014 Birchbox

These two came within 2 weeks of each other (due to someones mistake on the Birchbox team). I've been on and off with Birchbox lately. Their boxes tend to be hit or miss.

The staff are great, the points system and shop are wonderful but the box samples tend to leave me scratching my head sometimes.

I'll make this short since I'm currently traveling and all of these products can be found in their shop.
If you are interested in trying the service here is my referral link. It's only $10 a month.

July

-Cynthia Rowley Beauty Eyeliner sample

-Real Chemistry Luminous 3-Minute Peel sample

-Supergoop! Daily Correct CC Cream SPF 35+

-Harvey Prince Imperial Gardenia fragrance sample

-Naobay Body Radiance Lotion sample


The Knobs and Bobs:

The eyeliner is the same brand and color that Birchbox has sent out several times in the past. It's a good liner but does tend to smudge.

The peel is interesting. I've never tried anything like it before but it seemed to work nicely. It smells nice and didn't irritate my sensitive skin. There's probably 3-4 uses depending on how much you need to use.

This sample...I placed a US quarter next to it to give a size comparison. And within that tiny container it's less than half full. It's smaller than the fragrance sample.

I might be able to squeeze two uses out of it

The product goes on smoothly but tends to dry in patches. I would suggest maybe mixing it with a moisturizer to get more out of the product and to keep it from drying out.

The fragrance smelled very nice. It's a little strong and floral for me personally, but if you love Gardenias you may love this one.

The Naobay lotion is very nice and the sample is a great size! 

August

-Vasanti Detox Nutrient-Rich Facial Cleanser

-Harvey Prince Ageless Body Cream

-amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo 

-theBalm cosmetics Stainiac

-Noir Long Wear Eyeliner (full size $15 value!)

The Knobs and Bobs:

Vasanti is a brand that Birchbox introduced me to a few months back and I really like it. This cleanser is no exception. It leaves my face feeling clean and fresh.

I love Harvey Prince's 'Hello' fragrance so I knew I would probably like this body lotion. While the smell is nice and the formula is moisturizing, there is less than half a tube of product to use. To find out how much product is in a solid container I place a bright flashlight behind it. The size is already small, it would have been nice to at least have it filled up to the larger letters. There's really only enough to use 2-3 times on my arms and hands or once all over.

amika Dry Shampoo is fantastic! I have a really oily scalp so this has already come very handy. The smell is fresh and it doesn't produce much if any powdery residue. Will be purchasing full size!

theBalm Stainiac was a sample that I chose from a list of 4-5 other products. I love it!  It's a good travel size and the product itself has a nice consistency and color. It can be used as either a lip or cheek stain. Because it is a stain, it can be slightly drying so I top it off with a clear balm after applying.

The Noir eyeliner is very long wearing with very little smudging! I don't use black eyeliner but this would make a great gift for a family member. I really love how it's full sized and not one of those extremely tiny samples that never last and are hard to work with due to the stick being so small. It's a very nice liner.

Final Thoughts:

July was not so great and the sample sizes were disappointing. August had a very nice selection of products and reasonable sizes. Like I've said, Birchbox is a puzzle to me and keeps hitting and missing almost every other month. I'm not subscribed right now but will strongly think about giving them another shot after seeing what others are receiving from their September box next month.

If you've liked the products listed please give the service a chance. While I've had some negative experiences it's only $10 a month and you can cancel at any time. (: