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. (:

Phone Case of the Month July 2014

I was recently introduced to a phone case monthly subscription service called 'Phone Case of the Month' or PCOTM for short and took advantage of the $5 discount using someones refer link.

If you are interested in trying out the service then please feel free to use my referral link to receive a $5 discount on your first case!

Each $10 case is a limited edition and comes with a small treat such as a sticker or piece of candy.

I received the phone case 'Living Happy' and a small pixi stick candy.

While I like the message I am really disappointed in the case itself.

I opened the package to find it already chipping along the top edges and along the back edges. The case itself feels solid enough and fits my iPhone 5s well. I was able to easily pop the case on or off.

The bottom right edge of the design is slightly warped. I don't think I'll be using this one and no one I know seems to want it.

 $10 is a pretty good bargain for a phone case and from what I see them usually send out I thought I would like whatever they sent.

I've never seen anyone get this design or any like it before. If the logo wasn't on the inside of the phone I wouldn't have even believed this was from PCOTM. They can do better than this. Anyone with access to photoshop could do better than this.






I will give the service another try and hope for something better next month.

Birchbox Limited Edition 'Modern Mermaid'

I couldn't resist purchasing the Modern Mermaid limited edition Birchbox this month. Everything in it is gorgeous and at only $44 the value of products was too good to pass up. All products listed can be found in the Birchbox store.


The Knobs:

- Captain Blankenship Mermaid Mane Sea Salt Spray $12
- Birchbox exclusive Stephanie Johnson Mermaid Mirror $22
- Vasanti Kajal Extreme Intense Eye Pencil in  'Electric Navy' $18
- Atelier Cologne Cédrat Enivrant Cologne Absolue Travel Spray $16.25
- Coola Liplux SPF 30 Balm $12
- Anastasia's Beverley Hills Lash Genius Waterproof Top Coat sample $10 (?)
- Birchbox exclusive Ruffian Endless Summer Collection $26.50

Box Value = around $130 (some products are given educated estimates based on full sizes price)


The Bobs:

Textured Beach Waves are always popular during the summer. I'm new to this particular brand but the product seems to work wonderfully! As a plus this all natural concoction smells amazing!

I will be looking into this brand and possibly purchasing the full size.

Stephanie Johnson created this soft compact mirror for Birchbox! The design is gorgeous and perfect for Summer. The outside looks like luminescent fish scales (or mermaid fin) and the inside shows the designers nautical logo closely resembling the coolest compass ever.

Next we have a very nice eye pencil from Vasanti.

The Electric Blue color compliments almost every skin tone and applies very smoothly. The product is waterproof and long lasting but still easily blendable. I love that the cap also includes a sharpener!

Swatching the Vasanti eye pencil. Please excuse my paleness.


Above: Applied strait onto skin

Bellow: Blended using the attached rubber nib

After receiving a small perfume sample in one of a Birchbox a few months back I have been obsessed with the Atelier Cologne line. All of the scents are delicious and this travel spray bottle is no exception.

The key notes with the Cédrat Enivrant Cologne Absolue scent are Fresh Citrus, crisp lime, Moroccan cedrat, juniper and sweet mint. As advertised, it is indeed summer in a bottle and my go to scent for the season.

While I really like the Coola brand, this SPF treatment isn't very moisturizing and it tends to leave my lips feeling tingly. But it's main purpose is protecting lips against UV rays and it seems to get the job done. There are plenty of other more affordable SPF lip balms that protect against the sun and also moisturize.

Anastasia is a pretty well known brand. This product is a lash topcoat that goes on top of any mascara you are already wearing to make it waterproof. It's genius and works surprisingly well!

I will definitely consider getting the full size once this runs out.

The Ruffian Endless Summer collection is exclusive to Birchbox and the colors are perfect!

Sahara is a light shimmer/metallic gold nude.
Blue Lagoon is a bright metallic aqua blue.
Endless love is a dark metallic plum/pink and my personal favorite of the trio.


Final Thoughts:

For $44 I received over $100 worth of some perfect summer products and the theme was adorable! Lots of things I will be able to get a good deal of use out of this summer. Thank you for a great limited edition Birchbox!